DFS-N: Client Side DFS Folder Availability

Summary

This rule monitors the availability of DFS folders (links) by accessing them from a client computer and enters a Critical health state if the folders are inaccessible.

Configuration

Override the UNCPaths parameter on this monitor to specify which DFS folders to monitor. Use a colon “:” to separate multiple folders.

Causes

This monitor enters a Critical health state if it is enabled and cannot access any of the paths listed in the UNCPaths parameter of the monitor. This can occur if the client computer on which the monitor is enabled could not resolve the DFS paths to the actual folder target or if the folder target is offline or inaccessible.

Resolutions

Click the Client Alerts view in the Operations console to see which paths are not accessible and then perform the following actions:

Check Namespace Health

Use the Dfsdiag /testreferral command to check the health of a namespace. To do so in the Operations console, use the following procedure:

• Click the Dfsdiag task.

• Click Override in the Run Task – DFSDiag dialog box.

• Type /testreferral /dfspath:\\<namespace> in the DfsServerTask.CommandLine box, where <namespace> is the namespace root.

• Confirm that the all tests report Success or are known, non-critical conditions.

If any tests fail, escalate the resolution of this problem to a technician who can troubleshoot DFS Namespaces issues.

Verification

To verify that the folder (link) and folder targets are functioning properly, use the Dfsutil link command. To do so in the Operations console, use the following procedure:

1. Click the Dfsutil task.

2. Click Override in the Run Task – DFSUTIL dialog box.

3. Type link \\<namespace>\<folder> in the DfsServerTask.CommandLine box, where <namespace> is the namespace root and <folder> is the DFS folder whose folder targets you would like to verify are online.

4. Confirm that the state of the folder is OK and that the states of the appropriate targets are Online.

If the link (folder) is not OK, escalate the resolution of this problem to a technician who can troubleshoot DFS Namespaces issues. If the folder target is Offline, troubleshoot the server hosting the folder target.